Arts & Activities - Page 11

Stepping Stones TRAVELING/ART-CART TEACHERS . stepping stones is a monthly column that breaks down seemingly daunting tasks into simple, manageable “steps” that any art educator can take and apply directly to their classroom. stepping stones will explore a variety of topics and share advice for both art-on-a-cart teachers and those with art rooms. by heidi o'hanley one can give, that darn flash drive will still be plugged into the computer at the other school. Depending on how much time there is, I sometimes turn around and retrieve the tiny device that holds my PowerPoint presentation for today’s lesson, or I continue on and simply improvise for the second half of the day. TraVeLING arT TeaCHers aren’t always able to attend extra events—pot lucks, treat days, gift exchanges, wedding/baby showers, birthdays and retirement parties. Unless we are at the school that particular day, we may not be able to make it. If you’re a traveler and you do make them all, you deserve a pat on the back, as it’s no easy feat. It’s not that we don’t want to get involved—it would be nice to be part of the school family—but it’s just difficult to fit everything on our plates. TraVeLING arT TeaCHers often miss the memo. Sometimes, we don’t know what special event is going in one school or the next. Assemblies may pop up and we learn of them only when we wheel our carts into empty classrooms. As frustrating as this is (especially when you have a curriculum to follow), it’s key to be flexible. T here are challenges teaching art in any situation. Whether you teach in a classroom, from a cart or travel from school to school, we all face them. Compiled from my observations from years of teaching from a cart and then traveling to multiple schools, here is a list of things a traveling art teacher will often do, as much as we try not to. These don’t make us “bad teachers,” but help us focus on what our main priorities are. 6 students’ names right. Sometimes we see over 800 students a week—and half of them have siblings! Yes, we might call them by their siblings’ names, or mispronounce them—at least we come close! Do you know all your students’ names and pronounce them correctly? Congratulations then, you have an amazing memory! TraVeLING/arT-CarT TeaCHers will leave a little something behind in your classroom. As much as I try not to let this happen, it does. My students have been very kind in returning those items to me throughout the day—like the magnets I leave up on the classroom board, or my project examples, or those paintbrushes students were washing as I was pushing the cart out of the room. It happens. Don’t be upset with yourself over it. 1 TraVeLING arT TeaCHers will never get all the 7 2 your spare crayons. We appreciate teachers who think of us when they have extra supplies (sometimes it helps), but we usually don’t have the space, what with the projects and materials we already have to stash. People can still offer, because many of us are on tight budgets and will gladly accept; but not everyone has the space. 8 TraVeLING/arT-CarT TeaCHers might turn down storage. We have to put those student projects somewhere! If a classroom teacher has any unused space . on top of a cabinet or in a corner . I politely ask if I could store student projects for the next class. Storage closets are not always large enough to keep everything. As art teachers, we always find ways to think outside of the box! 3 TraVeLING/arT-CarT TeaCHers will sleuth out many occasions, there are school musicals, displays, contests, shows, etc. that we also work on . for all of our schools. We don’t want to hurt feelings, but when yet another teacher asks us to make something for their class or event, we simply may not have the time. TeaCHers smile at the end 10 TraVeLING/arT-CarT of the school year as we push our carts back into 9 TraVeLING arT TeaCHers sometimes say no. On something as we walk down the hallway or out to our car. We only have two hands, after all! We can just hope there’s not snow on the ground, not a windy day or not raining on the projects we’ve dropped! And, hope the items dropped in the hallway aren’t fragile! TraVeLING/arT-CarT TeaCHers will remember they forgot something as they drive, walk or fly from one classroom or school to the next. As much advice as I or anywww.ar tsandactivities.com 4 TraVeLING/arT-CarT TeaCHers almost always drop storage. After completing a year pushing our “classroom” from room to room or school to school, this final task lifts weight off our shoulders. Until that final school day arrives, though, we always make the most of the year! n A&A Contributing Editor Heidi O’Hanley (NBCT) teaches elementary art for Indian Springs School District #109, in the Greater Chicago Area. Visit her blog at www. talesfromthetravellingartteacher.blogspot.comblogspot.com. 11 5 x 81 y e a r s • november 2013